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Information on Visas and Other Travel DocumentsDetailed information for applicants for visas to attend the 2006 annual meeting is available from the U.S. National Academies’ International Visitors Office. Official information on the visa application process is available from the U.S. Department of State.In most cases, you will need to apply for a business B-1 visitor visa. Please apply for your visa as early as possible. We recommend that you apply at least three months before the meeting. Some consulates may have backlogs in scheduling visa interviews so we recommend that you first contact the consulate to find out how long the wait is for an interview. Visa wait times are available at http://travel.his.com/visa/tempvisitors_wait.php The International Visitors Office of the U.S. National Academies maintains a list of meetings held in the United States that are sponsored by national or international scientific, technical, and medical organizations, and by universities and research institutes. This list is shared with the U.S. Department of State Visa Services and is disseminated to United States consular officers worldwide. We have registered the 2006 annual meeting with the International Visitors Office. Citizens of the 27 countries that are members of the Visa Waiver Program do not need a United States visa for business or tourism visits of less than 90 days. These countries are Andorra Australia Austria Belgium Brunei Denmark Finland France Germany Iceland Ireland Italy Japan Liechtenstein Luxembourg Monaco New Zealand Norway Portugal San Marino Singapore Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland The Netherlands United Kingdom Passport Requirements As of 26 June 2005, all travelers under the Visa Waiver Program must have a machine-readable passport. As of 26 October 2005, all new passports issued by Visa Waiver Program countries must include a digital photograph and must be electronic passports (electronic passports include a computer chip that stores biographic and biometric data). If you are a citizen of a country that is a member of the Visa Waiver Program and would need a new passport because of these requirements, but your passport is still valid, you might consider applying for a visa instead of obtaining a new passport. You may wish to check the average delay both for obtaining a new passport and for obtaining a visa with the United States embassy and consider choosing the fastest process. Detailed information on these passport requirements is available from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. There are new Passport Rules for travel to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Panama. Information is available from the U.S. Department of State’s Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Documentary Requirements for Entry to the United States are available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Canadian Citizens may obtain information on entry and visa requirements from the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. Documentary Requirements for Entry to the United States are available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Recommendations for Visa Applicants Visa applicants are expected to provide evidence that they are intending to return to their country of residence. Therefore, applicants should provide proof of "binding" or sufficient ties to their home country or permanent residence abroad. This may include documentation of the following: family ties in home country or country of legal permanent residence property ownership bank accounts statement from employer stating that the position will continue when the employee returns Visa applications are more likely to be successful if the application process is initiated in the visitor’s home country than in a third country. Applicants should present their entire trip itinerary, including travel to any countries other than the United States, at the time of their visa application. Include a letter of invitation from the meeting organizer specifying the subject, location, and dates of the activity, and how travel and local expenses will be covered. To request a letter, please contact 2006@conbio.org If travel plans will depend on early approval of the visa application, specify this at the time of the application. Provide proof of professional scientific and/or educational status. Students should provide a university transcript. Visa Delays Many applicants must now appear for a personal interview at the United States consulate. Please take this into consideration and start the process as early as possible because some consulates may have long waiting times for interviews (several weeks to a month). Scientists and students will most likely experience delays due to a security review process known as Visa Mantis that is required for applicants with a background in one of the sensitive technologies on the Technology Alert List. The Visa Mantis review is not a new procedure. However, the number of applications being reviewed overall has increased considerably, leading to delays in the processing of applications. Citizens of North Korea, Cuba, Syria, Sudan, Iran, and Libya must go through a special security clearance process that usually will take several months. For visas delayed longer than two months, contact the consulate where the application was submitted. In addition, it is advisable to contact the United States meeting organizer for additional guidance. Although United States-based sponsor institutions cannot guarantee that a visa will be issued, they may be able to provide additional information that will help in the process. Furthermore, the International Visitors Office of the U.S. National Academy of Science regularly reports to the U.S. Department of State all visa cases (submitted through the Visa Questionnaire) that have been pending for longer than 20 days. All travelers arriving in the United States are met by an immigration inspector who examines each passport and visa, validates the Arrival-Departure (I-94) card, and determines the length of time the visitor may stay in the United States. Although the visa issued by the consulate allows a visitor to apply for admission to the United States, the final decision is made by the immigration inspector. Visitors should be prepared to explain what they will be doing during their visit, where they will stay, and when they plan to return to their country. All visitors to the United States holding a non-immigrant United States visa are photographed and fingerprinted upon arrival. This also applies to all visitors under the Visa Waiver Program. For further information see the Department of Homeland Security US-VISIT Program. Additional Information Health Insurance. Medical care in the United States can be very expensive. All visitors should carry adequate health insurance valid for the duration of their stay in the United States. Driving in the United States. Visitors who wish to rent cars must have a major credit card and a valid driver’s license from their own country. In some cases, an international driver’s license may be required. Contact the car rental company directly for specific information. Registration. Federal law requires that all non-U.S. citizens carry evidence of their lawful status with them at all times. It is advisable to keep copies of all pages of the passport, visa, I-94 Arrival-Departure card, and supporting documents such as DS-2019 forms in a safe place in case of loss of the original documents. | |||||||||||||||||
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